Automatic regulator for windmills



(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 1.

A. O. HOUGH. AUTOMATIO REGULATOR FOR WINDMILLS.

No. 437,783. Patented Oct. 7, 1890.

(No Model.) 3 SheetsSheet 2. A. C. HOUGH. AUTOMATIC REGULATOR FORWINDMILLS.

No. 437,783. Patented Oct. 7, 1890.

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witmaooeo r w UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

AZEL CLARENCE IIOUGH, OF SOUTH BUTLER, NE? YORK.

AUTOMATIC REGULATOR FOR WINDMILLS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 437,783, dated October'7, 1890.

Application filed May 21, 1890. Serial No. 352,606. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, AZEL CLARENCE HOUGH, a citizen of the United States,residing at South Butler, in the county of WVayne and State of New York,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in AutomaticRegulators for \Vindmills; andl do declare the following to be a full,clear, and exact description of theinvention, such aswill enable othersskilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same,reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters andfigures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of thisspecification.

This invention relates to windmill governors or regulators; and it hasfor its object to prevent unnecessary wear on the mill by throwing thesame out of gear the instant the water in the trough reaches thepredetermined level, and which will be positive in its action and willthrow the mill into gear when the water in the trough reaches a lowlevel.

A further object of the invention is to dispense with the complex valvesand delicatelyadjusted parts, which have been the chief objection tothis class of devices as heretofore constructed, thereby obviating thenecessity of packing and rearranging the parts of such devices as arenow generally used.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an apparatus whichwill be automatic in its action in starting and stopping the mill, andwhich will be simple, compact, and durable in construction and willrequire very little attention to keep it in Working order.

The improvement consists, first, of a tilting lever having a supportpivotally connected therewith, which is adapted to sustain a Weightedfloat in the water trough or tank until the water falls below thepredetermined level, when the said float, overcoming the force of thesaid tilting lever, will drop and throw the mill into gear; second, of atransmitter which is operated by the stem of the float to open and closea valve in the suspended bucket to effect the starting and stopping ofthe windmill; third, in a bucket which is suspended in the well, andwhich is counterbalanced and connected with a lever, which lever is inconnection with the mechanism for throwing the mill in and out of gear;fourth,

in the valve-gear for closing and holding open the valve in the saidbucket during the interval between the starting and stopping of themill; fifth, in the overflow-pipe for conveying the surplus water fromthe trough when the said water exceeds the predetermined level to theaforesaid suspended bucket for the purpose of overcoming the bucketscounterbalance and throwing the mill out of gear.

The improvement also consists in the novel features of construction, andin the peculiar construction, combination, and arrangement of parts,which will be hereinafter more fully described and claimed, and whichare shown in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a sideview showing the application of the invention and showing the operationof the same in dotted lines. Fig. 2 is a perspective view showing theapplication of the invention. Fig. 3 is a side view, partly in section,showing the relative arrangement of the parts. Fig. 4 is a front view ofthe transmitter. Fig. 5 is a perspective view, parts being broken away,of the suspended bucket. Fig. 6 is a side and top plan view of thepulley-block which is attached to the derrick, through which the chainand forked end of the suspension-rod passes and are guided in theirmovements.

The watering-trough 1 is of usual construction and arrangement, and isplaced at any convenient point to which the stock has free access.

In any convenient place in the trough is located a box or case 2, inwhich is arranged the regulating devices which comprise the weightedfloat 3, the tilting lever D, and the levers B and O. The levers B, C,and D are pivoted to a bracket 4, which is bolted or otherwise securedto the side of the box or case 2, and which has arms 5 and 6 atdifferent levels to form guides for the stem Aof the float to workthrough. The guide 6 is provided in its outer end with the anti-frictionroller I to prevent binding of the said'stein ICC transmitter.

permit the passage of the stop G on the floatstem A to pass above it,but which will be held in a horizontal position beneath the said stop Gto support the float 3. The outer end of the tilting lever D'isweighted, the weight being sufficient to sustain the float 3 when thelatter is buoyed up by the water in the trough, but which will beovercome by the superior weight of the said buoy 3 when the water fallsbeneath it.

The spring 7, secured to the bracket 4, is provided to form a cushionfor the weighted end of the said lever 1) when the same falls back afterbeing tilted. The lever Bis elbow-shaped, and its longer arm projectswithin the path of the stop H on the floatstem A, and its shorter end isconnected by cable M with the weighted lever 48 of the The lever O isapproximately triangular in shape and has an arm projecting within thepath of the said stop H. The projecting ends of the levers B and Cextend on opposite sides of the said float-stem A, so as not tointerfere with each other. It will be observed that the bottom of thefloat is oval-shaped or beveled upward from a central point. This is ofadvantage, as it permits the water to gradually recede from the saidfloat when lowering in the trough.

The transmitter comprises the triangular lever K, the weighted lever 48,the stop 0, and the tilting lever 8, which is provided at its forwardend with the pivoted catch 9, which catch is adapted to turn up whenpassing the stop 0, but which is held from turning beyond anapproximately horizontal position when supporting the said stop 0. Theweighted lever .48 and the triangular lever K are pivotally supported onthe standard N, which forms a guide for the upper end of the rod P,which extends into the well and is adapted to press upon a trip-lever 11in the bottom of the bucket 12 and release the weighted valvelever 25,thereby permitting a closure of the valve 13 in the bottom of thebucket. The stop 0 is secured to the rod P and has a beveled projection19, which extends through a slot n in a rib of the said standard N andis guided and limited in its movements therein. This projectionp'extends within the path of an arm 13 on the weighted lever 48, and thestop 0 projects within the path of the pivoted catch 9 of the tiltinglever 8.

The bucket 12 is suspended in the well by the rod 14 and is provided atits lower end with an opening which is closed by the valve 13, which isattached to the weighted lever 25. This bucket is provided near itsupper end with a spiral shell 15, which breaks the force of the water asit flows into the bucket from the overflow-pipe 16.

The tube T, depending from the bail of the bucket, forms a guide for thelower end of the rod P. The catch 11, pivoted on the standard 17, hasits horizontal end arranged to come directly beneath the guide-tube T,which end is trough-shaped to prevent the slipping stop 23 to travel onthe outer edge of this curved extension 24, and a hook orinwardlyextended projection 18, which embraces the other edge of thesaid extension and holds the said lever 25 to the said extension 24. The

catch 11 projects beyond the outer edge of the extension 24 and isadapted to come beneath the stop 23 on the lever 25 and support the saidlever 25 and hold the valve open.

The lever 21, pivoted at its upper end to the derrick, has its lower endconnected with the rod 20,which'throws the mill in and out of gear, andwith the chain or cable 22,which is connected with the cord or rod 14.This chain 22 passes over pulley 26 and the pulley 27 in thepulley-block 28, and is provided at its free end with the weight 29,which forms a counter-balance for the bucket 12 and lifts the same whenemptied. Any suit-able counterbalanced lever adapted to the purpose may,however, be substituted for the lever 21 shown in the drawings. Thepulley-block 28 is provided with guide-openings 30, which receive theforked end 31 of the rod 14 and guide the same in its verticalmovements, so as to prevent turning and tangling with the chain 22.

The overflow-pipe 16 is provided at one end with a siphon, which extendsin the trough and determines the height to which the water may risetherein. The other end of the overflow-pipe extends within the well andterminates over the bucket 12, so as to discharge the water into thesaid bucket. I

The triangular lever K is connected with the valve-lever 25 by the chainor cord 40, and a spring S is interposed in the length of the cord orchain 40 to prevent sudden strain on the parts when the float falls tothrow the mill into gear.

The operation of the invention is as follows: The mill being in gear,the parts are disposed as follows: The float 3 is supported on the Waterin the trough, and the bucket 12 is, at

its highest point,being balanced by the weight 29, which is at itslowest point, and holds the lower end of the lever 21 to the left. Thestop G on the float-stem A is below the support F on the tilting leverD,the valve in the bucket is open, and the rod P is held at its highestlimit by the beveled end p, resting on the arm 13 of the weighted lever48. As the millpumps water into the trough, the float rises, the stop Gpresses the support F of the tilting lever D up and passes above it, andwhen the water has reached its predetermined level the stop H of thefloat-stem A engages with the lever B, causing B by means of the cable Mto withdraw the arm 13 of the weighted lever 48 from beneath the beveledend p of the stop 0, and thus allowing the rod P to fall upon the catch11 of the valve, and thereby close the valve. Now, as sufiicientsurpluswater was allowed to accumulate in the trough before the valve closed tofill the bucket, the bucket is immediately filled by said surplus waterpassing through the siphon 32 and being discharged by the overflow-pipe16 into the bucket until the latter overcomes the superior force of theweight 29 and descends, thereby lifting the weight 29 and drawing thelever 21 to the right and throwing the mill out of gear. As the waterinthe trough recedes, the float tends to follow until its weight overcomesthe weight of the tilting lever, when it descends suddenly, and the stopH, striking the lever 0, opens the valve 13 by means of the cable L,triangular lever K, and the cable 40. The valve is held open by the stop23 on the valve-lever 25 passing above the catch 11. The water escapesfrom the bucket, which, beeomin g lighter than the weight 29, rises andpermits the mill to go into gear by reason of the weight 29 carrying thelower end of the lever 21 to the left. As the bucket rises, the lever 8,which is secured to the rod 14, likewise ascends, and the catch 9,engaging with the stop 0 on the rod P, lifts the said rod P until thebeveled end 19 thereof goes above the arm 13 of the weighted lever 48and reaches the top of the opening 11. The bucket continuing to rise,the lever 8 tilts to permit it to pass beyond the stop 0, and is limitedin its movement by the collar 14: on the rod let engaging with the underside of the well-platform. The mill being in gear pumps water into thetrough. The water rising lifts the float, and the stop H, engaging withthe lever B, draws on the cable M and releases the stop 0 by withdrawingthe arm 13 from beneath the beveled end 1) and permits the rod P tofall. The rod P as it falls strikes the catch 11 and withdraws it fromengagement with the stop 23, thereby allowing the valve to close. As thewater in the trough continues to rise, the stop G on the float-stein iscarried above the support F. The water in the trough rises, and when itpasses the predetermined level again throws the mill out of action bythe instrumentalities hereinbe'fore specified.

A regulator such as I have described may be usedin connection with anysuitably counterbalanced lever attached to the derrick, said lever to beconnected with the bucket and the shut-oft rod of the mill insubstantially the same manner as the form of lever shown in thedrawings.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. Awindmill-governor composed ofthe following elements: aweightedfloat,aweighted lever having apivoted support for sustaining the floatunder normal conditions, a suspended bucket provided with a valve,valvegear for opening and closing the valve in said bucket from the saidfloat, an overflow-pipe for carrying the surplus water from the troughto the bucket, and the counterbalancingweight for holding the bucket insuspension when the mill is in gear, substantially as described.

2. The combination, with the float and the suspended bucket having avalve, of the tilting lever D, having a pivotal support F, the rod P,extended into the well to rest upon a lever in the bucket, the stop 0 onthe said rod P, connections between the rod andthe said support, and thelever C, operated by the float to open the valve in the bucket,substantially as described.

3. The combination, with the float, the suspended bucket, and the valvein the bucket, of the lever 0, having connect-ion with the said valve,the vertical rod P, extended into the well to rest upon a lever in thebucket, the lever B, adapted to release the said rod P for closing thevalve, and a stop, as H, on the float-stem for operating the said leversB and C, substantially as described.

4:. The combination,with the float and the suspended and counterbalancedbucket, of valve-gear for opening and closing a valve in the saidbucket, the tilting lever 8, secured to the rod which holds the bucketin suspension, and the rod P, extended into the well and adapted topress upon a lever in the bucket and having stop 0, which is adapted tobe engaged by the said lever 8, substantially as and for the purposedescribed.

5. The combination, with a counterbalanced bucket which is adapted tothrow the mill in and out of gear and which is adapted to receive thesurplus water from the trough, of a valve in said bucket, a pivotedcatch for holding said valve open, and a rod adapted to engage with thesaid catch and disengage it from the said valve and permit the latter toclose, substantially as described.

0. The combination, with the float, the counterbalanced bucket, thevalve in the bucket, and a catch for holding the said valve open, of thedevices intermediate the bucket and the float, consisting of the leverK, having connection with the valve in the bucket, the weighted lever48, the rod P, normally supported by the weighted lever #18, and theconnections between the said levers 48 and K, and the float foreffecting an opening and closing of said valve, substantially as hereinspecified.

7. The combination, with the bucket 12 and the valve, of the standard17,having the curved projections 24:, the pivoted catch 11, forsupporting the valve, lever 25, for holding the valve open, and the hook18, for engaging the edge of the extension 24, substantially as setforth.

8. The combination, with the float, the counterbalanced bucket, thevalve in the bottom of the bucket, and the catch for holding the valveopen, of the rod P, the weighted lever 48, for holding the said rod P inan elevated position, and the valve-gear for opening the valve andreleasing the rod P, substantially as described.

9. In a windmill-governor, the combination,

Withthe counterbalanced bucket and means for imparting a Verticalmovement thereto for throwing the mill in and out of gear, of thepulley-block 28, having guides 30, and the rod 14, having prongs at itsupper end which pass through the said guides, substantially asdescribed.

10. The combination, with the float having a stem and the stop G on thesaid stem, and the bracket 4, having the guides 5 and 6 for the stem Ato work through, the tilting lever D, and the anti-friction roller I,arranged to take up the lateral thrust of the said lever D,substantially as specified.

11. In a Windmill-governor, the combination, with the bucket, the valveand catch for holding the Valve open, and the rod 14:, for supportingthe bucket and having the tilting lever 8 secured thereon, ot' the rodP, having the stop 0 secured thereon and having the beveled edge 13, theWeighted lever 48, having the arm 13, the levers B and C, connectionsbetween said levers B and O and the Weighted lever 48 and the valve inthe bucket, the float having, a stop on its stem to operate the saidlevers B and C, and the overflow-pipe between the water-trough and thebucket, substantially as described.

12. In a Windmill-governor, the combination, with the suspended buckethaving a valve, a catch for holding the valve open, and the rod P, forreleasing the said catch, of the stop 0, secured to the said rod andhaving a beveled edge, and a Weighted lever 48, for en gaging with thebeveled end of the said stop 0 and holding it in suspension,substantially as specified.

13. In a windmill-governor, the combination, with the bucket having avalve and a catch for holding the valve open, of a guide tube and a rodpassing through the said tube and adapted to trip the said catch,substantially as described.

' In testimony whereof I aftix my signature in presence of twoWitnesses.

" AZEL CLARENCE I-IOUGH.

Witnesses:

O. N. WHEELER, (3. H. BETTs.

